Earl Williams (basketball player)
Personal information | |
---|---|
Born | Levittown, Pennsylvania | March 24, 1951
Nationality | American / Israeli |
Listed height | 6 ft 8 in (2.03 m) |
Listed weight | 230 lb (104 kg) |
Career information | |
High school | Woodrow Wilson (Levittown, Pennsylvania) |
College | Winston-Salem State (1970–1974) |
NBA draft | 1974 / Round: 3 / Pick: 49th overall |
Selected by the Phoenix Suns | |
Playing career | 1974–1994 |
Position | Center |
Number | 14 |
Career history | |
1974–1975 | Phoenix Suns |
1975–1976 | Detroit Pistons |
1976 | New York Nets |
1977–1978 | Alvik BK |
1978–1979 | Boston Celtics |
1979–1983 | Maccabi Tel Aviv |
1983–1984 | Fortitudo Bologna |
1984–1985 | Pallacanestro Brindisi |
1988–1989 | Hapoel Holon |
1989–1990 | Maccabi Ramat Gan |
1990–1991 | Hapoel Holon |
1993–1994 | Bnei Herzliya |
Career highlights and awards | |
| |
Stats at NBA.com | |
Stats at Basketball-Reference.com |
Earl "the Twirl" Williams (born March 24, 1951) is an American-Israeli former professional basketball player[1] who in 1990 and 1991 was the top rebounder in the Israel Basketball Premier League. He is also a teacher of children with special needs.
Early life and education[]
Williams played high school basketball while attending Woodrow Wilson High School in Levittown, Pennsylvania. He played college basketball at Winston-Salem State University, with the Winston-Salem State Rams.[1]
Professional career[]
United States[]
In the 1974 NBA draft, Williams was selected by the Phoenix Suns in the 3rd round, with the 13th pick (49th overall).[1] He made his NBA debut on October 17, 1974, with Phoenix. During the next four years, he played for other NBA teams as well: the Detroit Pistons, the New York Nets, and the Boston Celtics.[1] On September 30, 1975, he was traded by the Suns to the Detroit Pistons, for a 1976 2nd round draft pick (Earl Tatum).
Sweden[]
In the 1977–78 season, Williams played for the Swedish League team Alvik. Alvik came in 2nd in the league that year.[2]
Israel[]
Williams later played professionally in the Israeli League. He starred for a portion of the time with Maccabi Tel Aviv and Hapoel Holon,[3][4] and he also played with Maccabi Ramat Gan.[citation needed] In 1990, at age 39, he was the oldest player in the Israeli League.[5] wIn 1990 and 1991 he was the top rebounder in the Israel Basketball Premier League.
Italy[]
Williams played two seasons for Italian teams as well: Fortitudo Bologna in 1984–1985, and Libertas Brindisi in 1988–1989.
Personal life[]
In 1982, Williams converted to Judaism.[6] Williams also became a naturalized Israeli citizen, becoming a dual US-Israeli citizen.[7][8]
References[]
- ^ Jump up to: a b c d "Earl Williams NBA Statistics". Basketball-Reference.com. Retrieved July 20, 2011.
- ^ "1970-80 statistics". Alvik Basket. Archived from the original on March 3, 2016. Retrieved March 5, 2012.
- ^ "Israeli Basketball Team Plays Despite Cloud of War". St. Paul Pioneer Press. February 22, 1991. Retrieved July 20, 2011.
- ^ "Israel's Maccabi Tel Aviv wins Euro championship". Israel21c.org. May 2, 2004. Archived from the original on June 16, 2010. Retrieved July 20, 2011.
- ^ Leibowitz, Steve (September 25, 1990). "Galil Stop "Upstart" Ramat Hasharon". The Jerusalem Post. Retrieved July 21, 2011.
- ^ Weisbord, Robert G.; Kazarian, Richard (1985). Israel in the Black American perspective. Greenwood Press. ISBN 9780313240164. Retrieved July 20, 2011.
- ^ Ben-David, Calev (March 7, 1991). "A whole new ball game". The Jerusalem Report. Retrieved July 21, 2011.
- ^ Gordin, Joel (January 30, 1991). "Israeli Basketball In Dire Straits". The Jerusalem Post. Retrieved July 21, 2011.
External links[]
- Williams' NBA stats at basketballreference.com
- 1951 births
- Living people
- African-American basketball players
- African-American Jews
- American expatriate basketball people in Israel
- American expatriate basketball people in Italy
- American expatriate basketball people in Sweden
- American men's basketball players
- Basketball players from Pennsylvania
- Bnei Hertzeliya basketball players
- Boston Celtics players
- Centers (basketball)
- Converts to Judaism
- Detroit Pistons players
- Fortitudo Pallacanestro Bologna players
- Hapoel Holon players
- Israeli American
- Israeli men's basketball players
- Jewish men's basketball players
- Jewish Israeli sportspeople
- Maccabi Tel Aviv B.C. players
- Naturalized citizens of Israel
- New York Nets players
- People from Levittown, Pennsylvania
- Phoenix Suns draft picks
- Phoenix Suns players
- Sportspeople from Bucks County, Pennsylvania
- Winston-Salem State Rams men's basketball players
- Alviks BK players